Music of My Heart
by SweetlySassy
Summary: As the summer grows darker with Voldemort and his Death Eater's reign of terror, love strengthens and blooms soaring through the air on the wings of music...This story is complete.
1. Losing Grip

CHAPTER ONE: LOSING GRIP

Ginny turned her eyes away from Harry's retreating back. Alone she sat, amid the many chairs, emptying as others around her began to wander away. She was oblivious to the silent tension of mourning that stilled the singing of birds and the gentle breeze. Without Dumbledore, Hogwart's didn't seem to have the same beautiful effect that once held Ginny captivated, no matter how many times she returned to the castle. Still she sat, shifting through her emotions, unable to focus on one before another would rise and vie for attention.

_Are you aware of what you make me feel, baby  
Right now I feel invisible to you, like I'm not real  
Didn't you feel me lock my arms around you, why'd you turn away?  
Here's what I have to say_

'You understand, Ginny,' she told herself over and over, like a rhythmic mantra, it echoed in her mind, willing her to believe in it. Absently brushing a stray lock of ginger hair away from her face, she looked out over the lake, staring intently, though focusing on nothing at all. She shouldn't really be so caught up in something as silly as a relationship, she chided herself. This was Harry's life at stake. In many ways where Voldemort is concerned, it's everyone's lives at stake, she amended.

The moment Harry had kissed her in the common room, she had told herself that she knew what she was getting into. Raising her eyes to the sky, she walked herself back to that time, feeling as if it had taken place lifetimes ago instead of mere weeks. For a split-second before she decided to kiss Harry back, she'd reminded herself of the situation by thinking hard about who she was about to kiss.

For Harry wasn't an ordinary boy, by far. From the moment Voldemort, the most sinister sorcerer the wizarding world has seen in over one hundred years, entered the Potter's house, his fate was sealed and his destiny set, marked by the lightning-bolt-shaped scar still visible on his forehead. Surviving the curse that was meant to kill him and vanquishing Voldemort into an existence resembling vapour, Harry became famous. 

And from the moment Ginny had laid eyes on the famous Harry Potter, she knew that he was someone special - different, aside from the fact that he was the Boy-Who-Lived. She knew that he would be someone who would understand what it was like to feel invisible and different from everyone else. She knew he would understand her when she felt that she was always coming in last place, being the youngest and only girl in a family of seven children.

And beginning last year, after the horrendous events in the Deparment of Mysteries and hearing Harry tell his best friends Hermione and her own brother Ron of the prophecy he had found there, she also knew it was likely that he could face death. Yet in a flash of bravado and a false sense of maturity, she'd told herself that she could handle anything before promptly returning his kiss.

_I was left to cry there  
Waiting outside there  
Grinning with a lost stare  
That's when I decided_

'I was wrong,' Ginny interrupted her manic mantra of understanding and with that thought, she became aware of the silence surrounding her. Inside, she felt something new stir within her, though she was unsure who she should direct it towards. Ginny was angry.

_Why should I care?  
'Cause you weren't there when I was scared  
I was so alone  
You, you need to listen  
I'm starting to trip, I'm losing my grip  
I'm in this thing alone_

How dare he treat her like a cast-off? Ginny thought indignantly as she stood abruptly from her chair, knocking it over in her haste. Spurred to action by her anger, she stalked off towards a lone tree growing near the banks of the lake. With each step Ginny took, she felt her anger mount, her tirade reaching catastrophic heights. He knew of the prophecy when he kissed her didn't he? She demanded of herself. He knew what he was getting into when he up and decided to snog me in front of the entire Gryffindor house. Did he just pull that idea out of nowhere? Or was it because Cho was with someone else now? 'Was that it?' she hissed to herself. Was his big performance with her all because he couldn't have Cho? Deep, in a rational corner of Ginny's mind, she knew she was jumping to all the wrong conclusions in her anger. She knew that Harry would never put her in a place like that because of some other girl. But as her rage boiled over, she found it quite easy to kick that corner of her mind to a proverbial curb and instead, chose to stew in her angry state.

Besides, he was trying to be noble wasn't he? He thought that being linked to him would put her in a greater danger. 'Please,' Ginny mirthlessly laughed in silence. It wasn't like the whole world wasn't already in grave danger, now was it? What makes him think that she couldn't handle being with him and going off to fight the Dark Lord. She would have gone too! He was there in the Department of Mysteries. Sure everything went haywire once they'd started smashing the prophecies, but she'd made it out alive, didn't she? And with a broken ankle, no less. And where was he the night that Dumbledore died? When the castle was under attack? Despite the Felix Felicis, she had taken down three Death Eaters with curses she'd perfected over the years. What she didn't have in magical expertise, she made up for in sheer daring and courage. She wasn't in Gryffindor for nothing, Ginny thought proudly.

Ginny was miffed at Harry's attitude towards her. She knew that he had a prophecy after him, and she had the basic idea of what it said, but it didn't mean he had to go running to meet it, did he? Where did it say in the prophecy that he had to do it all on his own? Why wouldn't he let her help him? Ginny stifled a scream of frustration as the questions came charging at her one after the other, demanding answers. She didn't know what Harry was thinking anymore. But it was still rich of him to think that he was the only one who had something at stake. It wasn't merely a battle anymore – those had been fought. It was now a war and no one in the wizarding world would be spared, if Voldemort had his way.

_Am I just some chick you placed beside you?  
To take somebody's place  
When you turn around can you recognize my face?  
You used to love me, you used to hug me  
But that wasn't the case  
Everything wasn't okay_

'Stay angry, Ginny. It's the only way,' Ginny chanted her new mantra to herself as she made her way back to the castle to begin packing her things away. She mentally traced the path she would take through the secret passages inside the castle, so as not to run into Harry along the way. Despite her intentions, she felt stubborn tears well in the corners of her eyes as her throat constricted and burned. Just thinking of him and having his name float carelessly through her thoughts brought on fresh waves of hurt within her. 'Stay angry,' she told herself once more as drops of tears gracefully snaked their way down her flushed cheeks. For being angry was the only way she knew that could distract her heart from acknowledging that it was broken.

**A/N: Characters are all property of J.K. Rowling and including but not limited to Bloomsbury Publishing. I do not own these characters, just merely borrowing them for a different spin on original story events by their author. The song "Losing Grip" belongs to Avril Lavigne. I do not claim either of them as my own.**


	2. Why Don't You and I

CHAPTER TWO: WHY DON'T YOU AND I

"Ron, wait up! You're moving like you've got gnomes in your pants, you are," Hermione tugged once again at her trunk and not for the first time, wished that she hadn't packed so many books. Tossing her head to fling her long, straight hair back and away from her face, she huffed a breath and hastened her pace.

She wasn't really sure why she'd bothered to do anything with her hair that morning. She supposed she'd packed so quickly that there was nothing else left to do but sit and think about all the recent events. Not wanting to dwell too much on any of them in particular, Hermione had grabbed the first thing her eyes had alighted upon: her hairbrush. It was purely coincidental if other people, though no one in particular, happened to like it.

Ron snuck a quick look over his shoulder and quickly snapped his eyes forward again, trying not to make it look like he was running away from Hermione, though at the same time he inconspicuously coaxed his legs into a trot. 'I'm not really,' Ron reasoned with himself. 'She was taking forever and Mum and Dad have been waiting for us.' Satisfied with his train of thought, he once again looked back over his hunched shoulder while at the same time trying his hardest to make it seem like he wasn't. He ignored her laboured breathing as she struggled with her heavy school trunk and took longer strides. Hermione was catching up.

_Since the moment I spotted you  
Like running 'round with little wings on my shoes  
My stomach's filled with butterflies…and it's alright  
Bouncing 'round from cloud to cloud  
I got the feeling like I'm never gonna come down  
If I said I didn't like it then you'd know I lied_

Jumping down from the Hogwart's Express, Ron looked around and felt his hands begin to sweat as he saw that his parents hadn't arrived to meet them yet. Gritting his teeth he finally turned to face Hermione and grudgingly held out his hands for her trunk. He looked up just in time to see Hermione's mouth open and shut, as if reconsidering what she was about to say, though he didn't have time to wonder what it could have been, for she had used both her hands to haul her trunk up and practically threw it into Ron's limp arms.

Eyes popping wide, Ron struggled to silently heave and gasp for breath while at the same time trying hard to make it seem like he was unaffected. Feeling his face turn a bright shade of magenta from his efforts, he finally gave up and groaned aloud form the pain radiating from his arms and chest.

"What are you trying to do, Hermione, crush me?" he shrilled at her. Calmly, Hermione stepped down from the train as graceful as you please. She sniffed and brushed by him, making sure to knock his shoulders with her own, though not quite meeting Ron's height, she did manage to nudge him in the elbow.

"Well I'm not sorry, Ron. You ignored me the whole train ride home and then as soon as it stopped, you took off like it was on fire! I'm beginning to regret that I'll have to stay with you this summer if you're going to act like such a prat about it." As they began to walk, Ron tottered as he struggled to drag both their trunks behind him. He felt his jaw drop and he turned to gape at Hermione. "And since when did you call me a prat!" He very nearly shrieked in her ear. They stopped abruptly in their path as Hermione struggled with her flying hair, finally pulling a band from the pocket of her jeans.

"Why'd you do that to your hair anyways? For all the trouble it's causing you," Ron said irritably as he tried not to notice the faint smell of honey and lilac wafting around him as Hermione's hair fluttered about his face. Squinting, he turned his head this way and that, as if all of a sudden quite fascinated with King's Cross, though he'd seen this place a great many times.

Tying her hair into a high ponytail, Hermione scrunched her face up at him. "What, you don't like it?" she demanded, now narrowing her eyes at him. Rolling his eyes, Ron grumbled under his breath and forced himself to look again at Hermione's hair. "For Merlin's sake, I didn't say I didn't like it, now did I? I suppose it's quite alright…it makes your face look…" Ron made the mistake of meeting Hermione's eyes and for a second that could have been a moment or two, or three or a week, they stared at each other, both daring the other to look away first. Hermione's cheeks began to glow a faint pink as she waited for Ron to find the word he was searching for, unaware that Ron now seemed to be suffering with a terrible bout of the shakes. Wrinkling his nose in concentration, Ron opened his mouth and allowed the first word to pop into his head out. "Long," he finished, his eyes suddenly growing wide as the realization of what he'd just said dawned on him.

_Every time I try and talk to you  
I get tongue-tied  
Turns out everything I say to you  
Comes out wrong  
It never comes out right_

Her face pinched in annoyance, Hermione let out one high-pitched 'hpmh!' and turned away from him, heading towards Mr. and Mrs. Weasley who were now waiting at the end of the terminal. Still completely stunned, Ron stared after her, frantically searching his vocabulary for a word he actually meant, but 'beautiful', 'pretty', and 'amazing' all seemed rather too stupid for him to shout out after her. Whimpering with humiliation, Ron once again picked up the trunks and followed Hermione and his parents who were now joined by Ginny, out of Kings Cross.

After nearly a week of polite and stilted conversation from Hermione - when she wasn't trying to avoid him, that is - Ron finally walked into his room and nearly smacked his face into the door when he saw Hermione sprawled across his half-made bed reading a musty old textbook. Warily, he sidestepped some things that were strewn around on the floor and gingerly sat at the edge of his bed, taking care to stay as far away from her as he could while still looking casually cool. 

"What's up, Hermione?" he ventured, hoping that she was now back to normal and would take charge of the conversation. Hermione apparently was as she sat up, pulling the textbook into her lap.

"How do you think Harry's doing?" she asked at once, a hint of worry in her dark brown eyes. "I haven't heard anything from him yet and we never really got to finish talking about our plans to go with him when he starts looking for the rest of the Horcruxes." Picking at a peeling corner of the textbook, she glanced at him her face open and concerned.

Relaxing as the conversation turned towards speculation about Harry, Ron sat back on his bed, his back against the wall. Staring absently at a Chudley Canon zooming across a poster, he sighed heavily and turned his own face towards Hermione.

"He was pretty serious about not letting us come with him, 'Mione. What more is there left for us to do?" Dejectedly wishing he had a better answer to give, he stared glumly at his trainers. He half wished he could be having a more enjoyable conversation with Hermione. So many dark and sad things had been happening at a more constant rate, he felt like it had been years since they had really had a chance to sit and talk and laugh, like they used to before.

_So I say why don't you and I get together  
We'll take on the world and be together forever  
Heads we will and tails we'll try again  
So I'll why don't you and I hold each other  
We'll fly to the moon and straight on to heaven  
'Cause without you they're never gonna let me in_

He started when a lime-green-coloured jelly bean pelted him right in the middle his forehead. Rubbing the spot on his forehead he picked up the jelly bean and ate it, shooting Hermione looks of accusation. "What did you do that for?" he asked, looking around for the rest of the Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Jelly Beans.

Hermione, nearly cross-eyed from trying her hardest not to roll her eyes tossed the rest of the package to him. "You didn't hear a word I said, did you?"

Tossing a handful of colourful beans into his mouth, Ron shook his head, "Nope!" Laughing at Hermione's death glare, he asked her to repeat it and he tried not to wander off into his daydream of Hermione and him getting rid of Voldemort for good and riding off into the sunset together.

"I SAID - " Hermione's voice rose slightly at the last word, and he realized he had spaced off again. "I said that we should go check on Harry. Who knows what he's thinking now. He might get it into his head to take off before either of us has a chance to reason with him," Hermione promptly plucked a bean out of Ron's fingers as it had been making its way to his mouth and she tossed it out his open window. Crestfallen, Ron stared at her. Hermione got up from the bed, still feeling Ron's eyes following her, waiting for an explanation.

"It looked like a foul tasting one, that's all." She simply said before walking out of the room.

The next day, Ron and Hermione were sitting at the kitchen table with Ginny when two loud cracks interrupted their solemn conversation. A headless George apparated right into Ron's lap as Fred's floating head appeared by the sink.

"Geroffme!" Ron pushed a laughing George off his lap as he pulled off his hat, causing his head to pop into place. "Easy there, Ron. Didn't know anyone would be sitting in that chair, now did I?" George yelped defensively as he plopped down in one of the empty seats around the table.

"So what's the word?" Fred leaned forward eagerly, his eyes darting back and forth from Ginny, Ron and then to Hermione. His eyes landed once again on Ginny who looked especially disgruntled and almost nearly in tears.

"Ron, could you pass me that book over there by the counter?" Hermione, who hadn't looked up once since Fred and George's arrival spoke, her head bent low over another book she was poring through. Ron stood immediately and swiftly grabbed the book from the counter and presented it in front of Hermione, who took it without glancing up. Fred and George on the other hand watched all this in avid interest, finally snickering and shooting each other knowing looks, which Ron chose to ignore as he returned to his seat.

"Ron and Hermione are going to visit Harry. They've just gotten an ownlfrom him today." Ginny was unable to keep the tremble or wistfulness from her voice and she looked out the window of the Weasley's kitchen, focusing intently on the gnomes running amok in their garden.

Feeling a sort of understanding about his younger sister's feelings, Ron patted her on the arm.

"Cheer up there, Ginny. Harry didn't say you were going to stay apart forever." Ron said, half consoling himself silently. Nodding silently, Ginny continued to stare out the window as her brother's glanced at each other uncomfortably, seemingly at a loss of what to say next. However, the next moment, it didn't matter as Hermione stood, scraping her chair back, now looking up, oblivious to what had been going on around her.

"Okay Ron, I know where it is, let's go," she said before her eyes fell on Fred and George. She stared at them mutely, her eyes giving away that she'd only just noticed them there.

"Hello to you too, Hermione," George said easily. "Are you going to bring Harry back here, then?" Fred asked curiously. "He might as well come to the wedding first though right, before he heads off - " "Before WE head off," Hermione corrected him. "Sorry we can't stay much longer, but you'll be here when we get back with Harry won't you?" Not bothering to wait for an answer, Hermione turned on her heel and walked out the door, only pausing to turn around and look expectantly at Ron over her shoulder. "Come on, Ron."

Once again, Ron scrambled to his feet and righted his chair as he hastened to follow Hermione out of the kitchen. Feeling his face flame as he heard Fred and George guffaw loudly, he grabbed his denim jacket that had once been owned by Charlie and he walked out of the house in Hermione's wake.

_When's this fever gonna break?  
I think I've handled more than any man can take  
Like a love-sick puppy chasing you around…and it's alright  
Bouncing 'round from cloud to cloud  
I got the feeling like I'm never gonna come down  
If I said I didn't like it then you'd know I lied_

Walking a few steps into the woods behind The Burrow, Ron came to a stop beside Hermione. Bravely, he took a deep breath and forced himself to look down at her. Busy with looking at her notes and directions, Hermione absently glanced up at him and caught his eye. Once more they stood there, staring into one another's eyes, not making the slightest movement for fear of scaring the other away. Compelling himself to take slow, deep breaths instead of the half-breaths he'd been struggling to take, Ron almost smiled. 'I can be normal around her. See, I'm doing perfectly splendid right now, aren't I? She can't possibly hear how hard my heart's beating. I'm perfectly cool. She doesn't affect me at all.' Ron thought to himself frantically, bouncing from one thought to the next.

Smirking at Ron's 'animal-caught-in-headlights' look, Hermione grabbed his hand and firmly laced her fingers through his.

"I figure we'd better be touching while we apparate so that we don't get separated and end up in two totally different places," she explained to him.

Ron stood stiffly by her side, feeling tingles and heat shoot up from where his fingers were now interlaced with hers. If taking deep, normal breaths was his goal before, it was now just trying to remember to breath that was his new goal. So maybe she affected him a little. Ron conceded.

_Slowly I begin to realize  
This is never gonna end  
Right about the same time you walked by  
And I said, 'Oh here we go again,'_

With that thought, he felt Hermione move beside him and quickly he followed. They vanished with a popping sound, leaving the spot where they stood in the woods empty once again.


	3. My Immortal

CHAPTER THREE: MY IMMORTAL

Harry bounded off the Knightbus with his belongings in tow. Quickly he scrambled out of harms way as the Knightbus jerked and stuttered before careening around the corner out of sight. Wearily, Harry grabbed Hedwig's cage (where the snowy owl was sleeping peacefully despite the Knightbus' tremulous ride) and his trunk handle in the other hand and made his way slowly up the drive to number four Privet Drive. Despite his subdued manner, Harry felt as if another weight had been placed on his shoulders and he reminded himself that it would be his last time here.

Before he'd had the chance to knock upon the front door, it flew open and the reddening face of Vernon Dursley poked out, his head swivelling from left to right just to make sure that there were no prying eyes.

"Well what are you waiting for boy? Get in here before someone sees you!" Vernon Dursley whispered furiously, hustling Harry into the house with a mixture of great loathing and fear. They stood there in the hallway, uncle and nephew, staring at each other, the eldest at a loss for contemptuous words and the younger of the two merely careless if there were words to be passed between them at all.

A shadow fell and Harry's Aunt Petunia stepped into the hallway. Her long nose wrinkling, as if a foul stench had entered her immaculately scrubbed house.

"Oh, I see you've managed to find your way home, have you?" she spoke with disdain before she turned on her slippered feet.

"I have some good news," Harry at last spoke, making sure his aunt could hear her as she made her hasty retreat. "I've only come to say until my birthday and after that, I won't be coming back here anymore. So things should be looking up for you," Harry said monotonously without a hint of emotion in his voice. He turned as his uncle Vernon cleared his throat, a look of pure delight and triumph in his eyes.

"Well then, get upstairs with you! And if it's possible, don't let me see you until you have to leave again!" Uncle Dursley's beady eyes were already darting from Harry to the door as if he'd like nothing more than to shove him out at that moment, so Harry tightened his hold on his belongings and dragged them upstairs to his bedroom.

Harry sat at his window, staring out at the town of Little Whinging. Despite the fact that he'd never once felt that he'd belonged there, his eyes appreciated the immaculately kept lawns and homes, all glowing brightly under the sky's velvety blanket encrusted with stars. It had been a little over a week since Harry had arrived, and once more, his home-made calendar with the large X's was up on his wall, counting down to his departure. This time, it didn't go all the way up to September, which would have been the start of Hogwart's, but up to his birthday, which was the next day. One more 'x' and he would leave here, without the desire to return ever again.

_I'm so tired of being here  
Suppressed by all my childish fears_

Beside his trunk, a pile of his belongings sat discarded for he was only going to be taking the absolute necessities for his journey. He crossed his room to let Hedwig out of his cage and nearly tripped over an old pair of his Uncle Vernon's socks. A metallic compact came skidding out where his foot had kicked it and clattered before coming to a halt, gleaming in the moonlight creeping through Harry's window. 

As his eyes landed on the familiar and almost forgotten object, Harry felt his heart jump into his throat. With trembling fingers he gingerly picked up the object, turning it absently over and over in his hands. Against his wishes, his fingers opened the compact until his gaze met his own staring back out at him through the mirror's reflective surface. Sadly, knowing that nothing would come of it, he whispered Sirius to his reflection, waiting a half moment before tearing his eyes from his reflecting and snapping the compact shut.

_And if you have to leave, I wish that you would just leave  
'Cause your presence still lingers here  
And it won't leave me alone_

There were just too many of them for Harry to carry in his head. His parents, Cedric, Sirius and now Dumbledore. How many more would there have to be before he could put a stop to all of this? For he was now certain that it would be he, Harry, who would put a stop to Voldemort's darkness. He would not rest until it was done and by following Dumbledore's last quest, he would find Voldemort's Horcruxes and destroy them, one by one until all that Voldemort had left was the final piece of his soul. And Harry would destroy that as well, in vengeance for all those he had taken away from Harry.

Moving quickly, Harry squeezed the compact mirror in his hand one last time before diving under his bed, wriggling slowly as he had grown over the years. Prying the loose floorboard with his fingers, he threw the compact into the awaiting darkness and pressed the floorboard down, sealing his long-ago hiding place. He would not be coming back for that mirror either. Sirius was gone and so too was Dumbledore. They had given up everything so that Harry could go on - he just couldn't let their actions go in vain.

Dust clinging to his tears, Harry once again made his way to the window, leaning his head out to catch the cool breeze on his heated face. He understood what they had done for them, but why couldn't his feelings just go away. Why did it have to hurt so much?

_These wounds won't seem to heal  
This pain is just too real  
There's just too much that time cannot erase_

How he had looked up to both Sirius and Dumbledore. As mentors, as friends. Their deaths together made Harry feel like he was swirling in a world of loneliness. He closed his eyes as the words 'Chosen One' echoed in his mind. Here he was, fated to save the world from the most evil of all wizards, to carry their hopes and fears with him. The whole of the wizarding world was relying on Harry to succeed. And alone Harry stood, wondering who or what in all the world would Harry rely on? Who would carry his hopes and fears?

Opening his eyes as fresh tears made their lazy path towards nowhere, Harry stared helplessly out his window, catching his breath as his gaze landed on a spot that moments before was empty.

_When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears  
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears  
And I held your hand throughout all of these years  
But you still have all of me_

There Ron and Hermione stood on the lamp-lit street below his bedroom window. Staring up at him silently, Ron and Hermione raised their eyes, their gazes wordlessly telling Harry that they would not be sent away. 

Dumbfounded, Harry blinked once more, hoping that once he opened his eyes, the figures would still be there. But once again, only emptiness met his stare. His heart dropping, Harry leaned out further through his window, frantically searching anywhere his eyes could reach.

"Don't fall now, mate." Harry nearly did tumble out of his window at the sound of Ron's sarcastic voice rising up out of the darkness behind Harry. Scrambling to pull back from the window, Harry whirled around to face his two best friends. His heart suddenly lifting as it had not done 'in a while,' he thought to himself.

He steadied himself as Hermione hurtled into his arms and over her shoulder, grinned widely at Ron who stood awkwardly in the middle of his room.

"Don't even say it Harry. We're staying and there's nothing you can do about it. I don't care if you think you have to do this all alone because you're not going to. Ron and I have always told you that we're - " she stopped short as Ron's hand clamped down over her mouth, effectively stopping the flow of the words tumbling from her lips. 

"Somehow, even after all I said before we left, I sort of knew you guys would be around somewhere," Harry said.

Cautiously, Ron removed his hand from over Hermione's mouth, revealing a satisfied grin spreading across her face.

"Harry, we' ve been with you ever since you got on the Hogwart's express that first year. We saw what being friends with you was like every year after that. We know what we're in for Harry. But we still want to help you," Hermione said earnestly, her voice rising as she warmed up to her subject. Ron inched forward again, his hand outstretched but Hermione batted it away.

"Can you shout any louder, Hermione?" Ron whispered furiously. Harry too had been glancing nervously at the door, listening intently for any sounds coming from the Dursley's.

"Oh stop it, Ron," Hermione once again pushed her hair out of her face, whipping Ron, who was standing quite near to her in the eye. "I put a silencing charm on the room right after we apparated in here, didn't I?" Hermione flopped down onto Harry's unmade bed and looked at her two friends with an air of superiority.

Rubbing his eye, Ron sat on Harry's desk chair while Harry perched on the bed beside Hermione, his back against the window sill.

"So what's the plan, mate?" Ron asked, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees.

And so, Harry outlined to his best friends in greater detail his plan to finally visit Godric's Hollow to see his parents before setting out in search of the rest of the Horcruxes Dumbledore believed to still be out there. He amended his plans when Ron interjected and said that they all had to attend the wedding or Mrs. Weasley's wrath combined with Fleur's would be even greater than Voldemort and his Death Eater's combined.

Into the night, the three friends talked, gaining strength and comfort from each other's presence. The sun had already begun it's ascent into the brightening sky when in a heap of tangled limbs, the trio fell asleep.


	4. In Your Eyes

CHAPTER FOUR: IN YOUR EYES

Harry nervously fiddled with his tie and wondered how Fleur Delacour had come to know how Muggles dressed for weddings. What he wouldn't give to just be in his regular robes – or even dress robes, in fact, so as not to be wearing the plain black tuxedo he had struggled into not half an hour before.

Looking in the mirror, he saw a black blur whiz behind his head and turned to see a red-faced Ron hurling his tie across the room in frustration. Catching Harry's eye in the mirror, Ron grinned and apparated to where his tie now hung pathetically from a bookshelf.

"Bloody thing will be the end of me, I tell you mate." Puffing out a resigned breath, Ron wrapped the tie around his neck and with a look of sheer determination, struggled to knot it at his neck. "Hey, I've an idea! You can apparate now, so why don't we just take off! That way we won't have to wear these ridiculous outfits!" Ron looked at Harry hopefully in a half-joking manner before returning his frustrated attention back to the tie. "This will have to be good enough because if I have to look at this blasted thing any longer, I'll strangle myself with it, I tell you." Harry laughed and together, the two friends left Ron's Chudley Canon-ed room and headed downstairs for the wedding.

Harry sat at his table and watched his two best friends talk akwardly across the dance floor. The simple ceremony over and the reception just getting started, the guests had all piled onto the dance floor. Harry smiled and enjoyed the gentle breeze that did nothing to help his already unruly hair. He noted how the sun seemed to shine brighter on this day and how the sky seemed especially clear. How deceptive weather could be, when Harry knew that things would be getting darker with every day that passed. Shaking his head to clear it from the path his thoughts were taking him, Harry's gaze landed on a fiery stream of softly curled red tendrils. Feeling his heart drop and constrict all at once, Harry tried, but try as he might he could no longer tear his eyes away from the curls now dancing merrily in the wind.

Though her hair frolicked and played with the gentle wind, Ginny Weasley's happy face was far from the emotions she felt storming inside her. She resisted the urge to turn in her seat and search for the eyes she felt were watching her, and instead, merely tucked away a strand of hair that mingled with the tear cascading down her cheek. Though happy for the union that brought a little joy in the growing darkness that threatened the wizarding world, Ginny felt it all to be a rather cruel joke in the midst of her heartbreak. But she would not argue. Despite what she was thinking or feeling, it was up to Harry. He carried a burden she knew he would not give up, but that he would bear until the time had come to destroy the burden or be crushed by it. She would not take this away from him, even if she had the power to do so. Wistfully, she let the last tear fall from her lashes and gently wiped it away with a firm resolve. This was the way things had to be. Fully strengthened in her resolve, Ginny pushed her chair back from the table and made to stand, freezing halfway as she saw a hand extended toward her.

Harry did not know that time had passed. He didn't realize that he had gotten up from the table where he sat and that his feet were carrying him in the direction his gaze never wavered from. But now, as his hand waited outstretched, he stared down at Ginny and didn't care what he had decided since the weeks after Dumbledore's death. He knew that once he felt Ginny's small, delicate hand in his that he wouldn't be worrying about anything but holding her as close as possible for as long as possible.

Ginny let Harry lead her gently to the edge of the makeshift dance floor, feeling a tingling sensation begin where his hand rested at the small of her back and spread throughout the rest of her body. Silently, they spoke not a word and despite their surroundings, it felt something like magic that all others seemed to fade around them. The music swelled, enveloping them in its hazy mist, as Harry and Ginny began to dance.

_I think I finally know you, I can see beyond your smile_

Harry allowed his gaze to roam Ginny's face, as if making sure that everything he dreamed of her was still there. His eyes caressed and roamed the planes of her face, taking in every lash, every freckle, memorizing as if he would never get the chance to do so again. Feeling a tug of desperation at wanting to keep her with him forever, he allowed his gaze to collide with hers and he smiled and held her ever closer.

_I think that I can show you, that what we have is still worthwhile_

Ginny bit her lip to keep tears from springing to her eyes once more. She was not fooled by that smile. Probing the depths of his green eyes, Ginny understood the sadness underlying the fierce passion that stared out at her. Nothing had changed, but he was here, holding her tenderly as if she were a treasure made from his dreams that would vanish if he so dared to wake from them. Ginny tilted her head stubbornly and silently willed him to look into her eyes and read her soul. She was not made of glass, she would not break and shatter as he clearly believed she would. She desperately wished he would see the strength she knew she could find if it meant that Harry would stop pushing her away and allow her to fight beside him.

_Don't you know that love's just like a thread  
It keeps unraveling but then…_

"Ginny, I can't let you do that," Harry whispered fiercely, pulling her ever closer and resting his head on her thick, blazing curls. "I will never lose you to him. He's taken enough from me. For someone who doesn't understand or can't fathom love, he's managed to take everyone that I could ever love from me. I can't lose you Ginny, I just can't," Harry muttered hoarsely into her hair, clutching at the soft curls entwined around his fingers.

_It ties us back together in the end..._

Clutching his arm, Ginny pulled away from him so that she could catch his gaze straight on. Ignoring the sudden lurch her stomach took at the sight of his tears, she steeled herself for the fight she knew would hold more at stake than any battle with Voldemort or his Death Eaters. 

"It won't be that way, Harry. Don't you see, Dumbledore told you, it's love that you have over Voldemort. If you push mine away and tell yourself that it's for my own good then he's already won! If you go to face him, armed only with sadness and loss at trying to beat him from taking away all your friends by getting rid of them yourself, then you've made his job all the more easier. You've helped him succeed." Ginny tilted her head as Harry averted his eyes from her.

_In your eyes, I can see my dream's reflections  
In your eyes, I found the answers to my questions_

Harry struggled for words, but found that he had none. At a loss, he shook his head, telling himself that his way was the best. It was his prophecy and his battle alone. Not Ron's or Hermione's and especially not Ginny's. If it weren't for him, he knew that this celebration wouldn't have the slight air of sadness and fear floating above those whose faces were full of hope and determination. He had brought all this to them with the price of his friendship and he couldn't let that stand.

Ginny's eyes blazed as she grasped Harry's chin and forced him to look at her. This was it. She'd had enough and she wasn't having any of it anymore. Brave and noble his intentions were, Ginny could no longer allow him to wallow in such thoughts and feelings.

"You are selfish, Harry Potter, do you hear me?" she whispered, struggling with her immediate reaction to take it all back as shock and hurt registered on Harry's face. "Stop it right now. This isn't only about you not wanting us to get hurt. It's about you, Harry. You're thinking about yourself and not us. You're so full of wondering how hurt and scared you are. How devastated you'll be if anything happens to us. It's only your feelings you care about and that's why you're trying to push us all away. Why you're trying to push me away." Her words softening, Ginny continued, laying her palm against Harry's cheek, knowing she would not hesitate to apparate them both away from this nightmare, if only she could.

"Harry, I know you're preparing for what is to come. You're trying to make it so that we won't care or won't hurt as deeply if something is to happen to you after you face Voldemort. You're hoping that by making it so we have nothing to do with you, Voldemort won't use us to get to you. You're thinking that had it not been for you, everything would be just fine and dandy for the rest of us." Smiling as Harry looked at her in alarm, as if she'd somehow read his thoughts, Ginny rested her forehead fondly against his and whispered, "the world doesn't revolve around you Harry James Potter."

Harry searched for his voice and battled with the emotions in him that were vying for attention. Heat seared his cheeks and prickles of sweat formed along Harry's hairline and palms. Guilt, he didn't think the guilt would ever go away.

"Ginny, it was my fault Cedric died. If I hadn't brought him with me, he'd still be alive. If was my fault Sirius – ' he choked at the sound of his godfather's name – 'it's my fault that Sirius is dead. If he hadn't cared about me so much, he wouldn't have gone after me and he'd still be alive too. And Dumbledore, he was only protecting me. That's what everyone will try to do. Protect me – and they'll all just die." Harry shuddered with sobs he fought to contain and Ginny held on to him tightly.

"It's true you know. Everyone who cares for you is willing to die to protect you. But that is our choice, Harry. I've allowed you to make your choices, and you need to let us make ours. This has never really been your fight alone. Even before he had marked you as his equal and destined you to the fate you have, Voldemort still existed. The evil he did was still real and there were still people fighting and dying, just as people are doing now. Even before you existed, your parents, Sirius, Dumbledore – they were all in the order. Death was a possibility that they faced and acknowledged, but they did it all the same. It wasn't merely for you, but it was for good. It was so that good people, good things like love, it was so all that could exist Harry."

Ginny's voice shook with emotion as she fought for the love she knew she would never again find in another person. With each breath that she took and each word that she said, her determination took over and the light flashing from her eyes took Harry's breath away.

_In your eyes, I can see the reason why our love's alive_

Slowly Harry nodded, still unsure of the way his thoughts and feelings clashed with each other. So badly he wanted to believe what Ginny was saying, and as she clung to his face, mentally willing him to understand her, believe her, he felt his heart constrict and knew that he could not deny himself the truth of Ginny's words. Despite his fear of their harm or death, he had been thinking of himself - of the guilt he would bear should anything happen to them. Harry slowly began to grasp Ginny's truth, no matter how cruel they may be - because Voldemort was beyond cruel and he would stalk and prey on anyone, whether they had connections to Harry or not. In Ginny's embrace he could not find the logic that had once convinced him to detach himself from the people he loved. He did not see how cutting himself off from their love would make it any less painful if Voldemort interfered. He saw that he was cheating himself and his friends of the time that they so badly needed to treasure and cherish by letting himself believe that Voldemort would spare them should their ties to him be severed.

Deeply he stared into Ginny's eyes. He basked in the warmth that radiated from them and he felt he would drown in the sea that was raging in the pools of brown. Ginny loved him. He could see it as plainly in her eyes had she just written it down or said it to him.

He glanced around and saw Hermione and Ron, watching them from a distance. Looking at each of them in turn, currents of understanding seemed to pass between them. With or without Harry, these people would have made it their battle because despite Voldemort's best efforts, there was still good in this world and there would always be people willing to fight for it. He would allow them their chance to fight because it wasn't his place to take this away from them. They would face what was coming together.

_In your eyes, we're drifting safely back to shore  
And I think I've finally learned to love you more_

Turning his face towards her own, Ginny gave a ghost of a smile and for long moments of time, they stared at each other, understanding what the other wasn't saying. Slowly their lips met in the softest of kisses and Harry closed his eyes and hung on. He didn't know how he would do it and he didn't know where the strength and power he knew he would have to possess would come from, but he knew that he would not be alone. For right now, Ginny was returning his love with hers that was altogether consuming and powerful on its own. Ginny loved him, and at this moment, Harry felt that it was enough.


	5. I Keep it to Myself

CHAPTER FIVE: I KEEP IT TO MYSELF

Hermione leaned against a tall tree growing proudly beside the make-shift dance floor, empty glass of punch in hand. Her eyes cast about the entire Weasley yard, happily taking in witches and wizards talking merrily and laughing. Despite the fact that miles away or hidden halfway around the world, Voldemort and his Death Eaters were busy plotting and planning, Hermione knew that this was what everyone needed. Death and sad endings had been coming more and more often, bringing down the general morale of everyone in the wizarding word. People were giving up in despair and Hermione's eyes narrowed and flashed. But this – this right here was what everyone needed to see. Because even after endings, there will always be beginnings. Bill and Fleur were starting a new life together, despite the shadows darkness tried casting over them. Seeing this would give everyone new hope, a reminder of what they were really fighting for. They were risking lives and sacrificing, not only to stop Voldemort from his evil works and warped thoughts, but they were doing it because there was more to live for. There would be joy, and happiness and new life.

Sighing contentedly, Hermione set her glass down on a nearby table and looked around for Ron, who had offered to get her a new glass. She wondered if she would be able to convince him to dance with her once. It had been so long since Hermione had attended a festive event and she quite liked to dance.

Her eyes finally landed on a shaggy mane of ginger hair and her stomach gave an unexpected lurch as she recognized that it was Ron. Resting a hand near the glass she just set down, she allowed her eyes to roam over Ron as she had not been able to do so before when she was in such close proximity to him.

He leaned against the bar that had been set up across the yard in a casual smoothness that she knew he had no clue he possessed. Hearing him complain earlier about having to wear a tuxedo, she smiled, silently thanking Fleur in her mind for making everyone in the wedding party do so. The tie he struggled with for so long, now hung loosely at his neck, his one hand tucked nonchalantly in his pants pocket, while the other dangled as his elbow leaned on the bar, waiting for the drinks he'd ordered. Ron swung his hair out of his eyes as he talked and laughed with Fred and George only to have it fall back over his eyes once again. Hermione resisted the urge her hand had felt to lift and brush the hair aside so that she could see more of his electric blue eyes as they crinkled and sparkled with animation. Catching herself, Hermione forced her eyes away from Ron and mentally shook herself. What was she doing? That was Ron she was goggling at! Hermione chastised herself.

_I looked at you a thousand times  
This time when I looked at you there was something new  
How could I be so blind?  
We shared our secrets in the dark  
And though we were only friends  
I don't know when this feeling changed within my heart_

Glancing up again, she saw that Ron was now heading towards her, drinks in hand. With his tall frame and easy manner, he strode across the yard, weaving his way in and out of people while nodding and smiling at those he knew. Suddenly, Hermione was unsure of what to do with her arms. She felt slightly inconspicuous sitting there. She crossed her legs and changing her mind halfway, uncrossed them again. Feeling heat creep up her cheeks, she finally tucked her legs under her chair and clamped her elbows down hard on the table, wincing slightly at the force she hadn't meant to take.

Normally, she prided herself on being open and direct. If she disagreed with something, then she would say so, just as Professor Trelawney had learned earlier in the years. If Harry was being stupid or thinking things that weren't true, she never hesitated to tell him so and never failed to tell Ron the same as well. Now all of a sudden, butterflies were having a ball in her stomach and she was scared that Ron would read everything she was feeling in her now panicking eyes. She couldn't ever let him know, he would just laugh at her, wouldn't he?

_Baby, I keep it to myself  
I'm falling in love with you  
The harder it gets  
'Cause you don't know the love I'm feeling  
I keep it to myself  
I'm falling in love with you  
I don't wanna push you away  
'Cause no one makes me feel like you do_

Hermione finally managed a semblance of a smile as Ron handed her a new glass of punch and took the seat next to her. Feeling uncomfortable in the silence that followed, Hermione struggled to thing of something to say and gave up by taking a large gulp of the fizzing pink concoction in her glass. The bubbles invaded her nose and throat, and her eyes widened as she struggled not to spit out her drink all over Ron.

"Hermione, are you okay?" Ron asked in alarm as he saw her wide-eyes and rapidly turning purple face. He jumped from his seat and began to wallop her on the back, thinking she was choking on something. Hermione finally managed to gulp down her drink, the fizziness burning painfully down her throat.

"Ow, Ron! Stop it! You're going to break my shoulder blade or something!" She choked out. Turning the same shade as his hair, Ron stared at her face once more, making sure that she wasn't really choking and sat back down in his chair.

"Well what are you playing at, then? Downing the glass like it were pumpkin juice or something," Ron cried irritably to mask the rest of his embarrassment at going overboard when he thought that Hermione was choking.

"Thanks anyway," Hermione finally said, feeling a tug of something she couldn't identify at Ron's obvious discomfort. "If I had actually been choking, I gather you would have been a great help." She assured him. Ron smiled at her in thanks and she commanded the butterflies in her stomach to stop their conga line as she strained to hold his clear gaze.

'Come on, Hermione. You can have a nice, normal conversation with Ron. He's your best friend. He smiles at you all the time. Just ask him to dance.' Hermione mentally coached herself. Decidedly, she put her glass down, grimacing as she once again exerted too much effort as the liquid sloshed over the sides of the glass. Quickly wiping her fingers on a nearby napkin, she stood up and faced Ron, who looked up at her from his seated position.

"Come on Ron, we're dancing." She commanded, trying her best to sound like her usual bossy self, hoping that Ron didn't hear the slightly high squeak of her voice when she said his name. She quickly hid her surprise when Ron stood immediately and followed her to the middle of the dance floor.

As they finally stopped and stood to face each other, the quick, catchy tune that was playing suddenly gave a loud screech and stopped. Looking around, Hermione saw the twins at the music table, George distracting the wizard manning the equipment while Fred hastily punched at buttons. Immediately, a soft, musical note filled the open air and slow music wafted around them.

Hermione watched in trepidation as Ron's eyes widened and she feared that he would stomp off the dance floor. Instead, she nearly hiccoughed when he took her hand (she hoped it wasn't frightfully sticky from the punch she'd spilled) and holding her waist, he pulled her closer so that they were flush against each other, swaying gently in time to the music.

_I dream of you all through the night  
Holding you tenderly right here with me  
Wrapped in my arms so tight_

Hermione's mouth opened and closed against the soft fabric of Ron's tuxedo jacket. Outwardly, she hoped she looked the picture of calmness because inside her emotions raged about, arguing amongst themselves. 'Tell him. Hermione Granger. I order you to tell him right now.' A high-pitched voice bossed in her right ear. 'Are you kidding? Don't you do it! Don't you do it!' Another voice shrilled in her left ear. Shaking her head to clear the voices, Hermione stared up at Ron as he bent his head closer to hers. "Alright, Hermione?" he whispered, his breath tickling her earlobe and neck and she firmly commanded her knees not to buckle. "Hmm? Oh yeah sure, I'm completely and totally fine," Hermione said quickly, lowering her head to break the eye contact Ron effortlessly commanded.

No, she wouldn't tell him. How close had she come earlier that year, by inviting him to that Christmas party. How he had disappointed her after by allowing her to see him snogging Lavender Brown? Shaking her head sadly, Hermione told herself that if he had really felt the same way about her, he would have come to the Christmas party with her instead of turning into Lavender's Won-Won.

_But when I start to tell you how I feel  
You tell me 'bout someone new who's right for you  
If you only knew my love's for real_

Hermione let out a silent breath as she felt Ron's arms tighten around her and she gingerly laid her head against his chest – broad from hours of Quidditch practice. If she couldn't tell him how she felt, she would at least allow herself to enjoy this dance. Being in his arms like this was the closest she would get to her dreams and Hermione marvelled at his touch. At his nearness. She would die of embarrassment if he ever laughed at the feelings she was feeling for him, but at the same time, she couldn't risk losing his friendship, as she knew it would likely happen if she ever revealed to him what she was truly feeling.

_I wonder if you feel the same way I do  
Then we both could be together forever  
So why do I hide all my feelings inside  
When I know you're the only one for me  
The deeper that it gets  
The harder that I fall_

Carefully drawing herself ever so slightly closer to him. I'll just keep it to myself, she thought wistfully, and dreamily, Hermione closed her eyes.


	6. The Freshmen

CHAPTER SIX: MY IMMORTAL

The festivities wore on straight into the night. Bill and Fleur happily gazing into each others' eyes, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley proudly staring on. Fred and George running around, pranks and mischief in mind, while Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione danced on beneath the night's embrace.

_When I was young I knew everything  
And she a punk who rarely ever took advice_

At first, no one seemed to notice any difference to the wedding. Finally, Harry drew his head up from smiling at Ginny and turned his head, his ears searching for the seemingly distant sounds of popping. Beside them, Ron and Hermione also ceased dancing and turned their heads, a feeling of intense foreboding wrapping serpent-like around the trio.

Then like the sun ripping through the sky's darkness, the tree Hermione had been leaning on earlier that evening shone vividly amid the bright backdrop moments before being engulfed in flames.

All at once pandemonium broke. Witches and wizards, seemingly forgetting where they were, running every which way as more bursts of flame erupted all around them. The small group of Hogwart's students stood with their backs to each other, wands drawn, their open-mouthed expressions of surprise quickly replaced by looks of fierce determination. Their eyes trained on the dark shadows emerging from the smoky flames, hooded figures appeared, walking steadily all about the once lovely garden wedding.

_Now I'm guilt stricken, sobbing with my head on the floor  
Stopped a baby's breath and a shoe-full of rice, no_

Ginny's wand erupted first. With a strong cry, an incantation ripped from her throat and wand-fire sizzled and scorched its way to a hooded figure bearing down on them. Harry only had time to cast Ginny a surprised look, mingled with pride before the rest of the group's wands became a flurry of movement. Now joined by Fred, George and several other members of the Order, the group circled, still always with their backs to each other to cover all angles.

Harry swung his arm, aiming and cursing his way through a thick throng of Death Eaters, his words flying so fast he half-felt like they were barely even being uttered. Beside him, Ginny shook herself free of someone who had fallen from a curse and grabbed onto her dress. With a violent slash of her arm, a fierce fire of light arced its way across three of the Death Eaters Harry was battling and mid-hex, they fell like stones to the ground.

_Can't be held responsible  
She was touching her face  
I won't be held responsible  
She fell in love in the first place_

Still the fire burned around them, as much as the Death Eaters were cursing and hexing their way through the now aware crowd of wedding-goers, they were also casting jets of fire to everything else. The place was now a sea of flames, dancing and whipping in the winds.

Leaping over a pile of fallen Death Eaters, Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and followed Ron and Hermione as they weaved their way through flying wand-fire. They looked up and for a moment, it felt as if everything had frozen except for the sight before them. Smoke wafting from the chimney of the Burrow, as if nothing out of the ordinary were taking place, there was a moment before a loud burst of sound echoed in their ears and the glass from windows erupted outwards as the Burrow surrendered to the fire.

Ginny stared aghast as her life's most treasured possessions and her home evaporated before her eyes. She felt Harry wrap himself around her, shielding her eyes further from the sight, while Ron whirled in rage, his eyes searching frantically for someone to curse. Around them, wizards, witches and Death Eaters alike lay in the rubble that the Burrow had become. There was nothing left but the fires that blazed on and the smoke consuming them, burning their eyes and filling their throats.

_For the life of me I cannot remember  
What made us think that we were wise  
And we'd never compromise  
For the life of me I cannot believe  
We'd ever die for these sins  
We were merely freshmen_

As the smoke began to lift up towards the cloudless heavens, another flurry of movement ensued. The Death Eaters were being tied one by one by incantations and spells, while the rest of the wedding guests stumbled about, looking for those they loved fearing that eventually, they would have to look down at those who had fallen. The group found Mr. Weasley among the guests, forlornly standing before the very spot where his home used to stand, water bursting from the wand he held before him. A few yards away, Mrs. Weasley was numbly pointy her wand at lumps and forms on the ground, whispering 'ennervate' her eyes growing sadder and sadder as only few forms were able to rise.

Many popping sounds began to echo in the vast nothingness that the Burrow had become and Harry looked around as ministry workers apparated. Aurors and healers all ran about with horrified expressions on their faces; seemingly not knowing where to start.

Finally, as the last flame sputtered and died after valiantly battling against Remus Lupin's wand-water, and the last of the remaining wedding guests had departed on broomsticks or apparated away, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione stood facing Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Fred and George, their faces sweaty and covered in blood and soot stood behind their parents. Bill and Charlie, their suits ripped and Fleur clinging tightly to Bill joined the circle, their faces stony, though they remained silent. Mad-Eye Moody, Nymphandora and Kingsley Shacklbolt apparated a few yards away accompanied by a shaken Professor McGonagall and towering Hagrid. They had gone with other ministry workers to ensure the capture and imprisonment of the surviving Death Eaters.

As they all stared at one another, it was clear that everyone was at quite a loss for words. They all felt that each and every one of them understood the depth of the anger they all felt, and the despair and the resolution. They would never be happy until Voldemort was dead.

Bringing himself to stir, he approached Professor McGonagall and conferred quietly with her. Receiving a grave but brisk nod, he turned to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. His heart fell at the sight of their faces. They had so openly welcomed him into their home. Though they did not have much, they had given him everything that he could have needed that the Dursley's had failed miserably to give. They gave him a place to belong as well as love and concern. He wished that there were something he could do for them, and he knew that there was. Because now, through the lessons, however painful they were, he was learning. Love will always run deeper than pain, and through his pain, he would give out of love. He held out his hands and took each of their hands in his. Coming together, though no words were spoken, the rest of the Weasley family, Fleur as their newest addition and Hermione, clinging tightly to Ron's hand, they all joined hands and, concentrating as Hard as he could, Harry took them away from their loss.

In moments, they once again re-appeared, now in the centre of a Muggle square. The lights from the lightposts already out as McGonagall stood before them, Put-Outer in hand. Harry nodded his assent to Professor McGonagall and, after murmuring a few chosen incantations, she pointed her wand at a space between two buildings and from the empty space, a house began to squeeze it's way in between until it stood before them proudly, as though it had always been there.

Harry had given the Weasley's Number 12 Grimmauld Place.


	7. If I Don't Tell You Now

CHAPTER SEVEN: IF I DON'T TELL YOU NOW

Ron stared at Hermione's haggard expression, his heart twisting painfully. She looked so sad and lost, like she'd never be happy again. Ron glanced down at his hands knowing that even though his family had lost everything that they'd had in that fire, he couldn't bring himself to feel as sad as he did whenever he looked at Hermione.

He watched as she sat with his sister, Ginny, both holding hands in front of a fire-less fireplace, crying and consoling each other. He felt his own eyes tear as liquid flooded Hermione's dark eyes and spill over her trembling lips. She stroked Ginny's hair and after they had hugged goodnight, Hermione stood.

"I think I'll just head up to bed," she muttered to no one in particular. It was only he, Harry and Ginny in the room as the rest of the order had gone back to the ministry to take care of more matters. Harry, who had gotten up to put his arms around Ginny, looked at her, his green eyes filled with concern. "I'm fine Harry," Hermione said before he had a chance to open his mouth. She silently shuffled out and Ron felt his legs spring him to a standing position. Harry had already turned his attention to Ginny, who was crying once more, so Ron swept from the room without another word and followed Hermione upstairs, slipping into her room just as she had made to close the door behind her.

_I've kept it inside for the longest time  
And I can't keep keeping it in  
All this love that's inside my heart  
Maybe it's safer not to say that I care  
Maybe this road won't lead me anywhere_

He had known what he was going to do even before his body had propelled him up the stairs. There was no wasting anymore time. Now he was sure of it. Ever since the fire had raged, radiating around Hermione's hair like a morbid sort of halo and seeing the fear in her eyes, he knew that he was going to tell Hermione how he felt. How many times did he have to come close to losing her before he would open his mouth? He didn't care anymore if she felt the same way or not, if anything more would become of them, because after this evening, he felt certain that these moments wouldn't always be given to him. She would know what he felt and if anything were to happen to either of them throughout this battle, Ron would at least be able to console himself with the fact that he had faced his greatest fear and had told Hermione that it was only her that made any part of this war worth fighting.

Hermione turned to him with tear-filled eyes and he strode over to her, gathering her in his arms without a moment's hesitation. He gripped her tighter to him as she buried her face into his neck and cried.

Standing there for what could have been hours, but felt like seconds to Ron, he listened as her cries quieted and her shoulders ceased to shake with her sobs. She pulled her head away to gaze at him and Ron automatically brushed away the tears still clinging to her cheeks. Gazing down at her, he wondered what it possibly was that held him back from telling Hermione that she was everything he was ever looking for.

"Hermione…"

_But if I don't tell you now  
I may never get the chance again  
To tell you that I need you  
Tell you what I'm feeling  
If I keep these feelings in  
And if I don't say the words  
How will you hear what's inside my heart  
How will you know it  
If I don't tell you now_

"Shh Ron. You're here now. You did everything exactly how I ever dreamt you would if I ever needed you. I know…I know…" she murmured. As tears clung to her lashes, her eyelids fluttered shut and Ron felt trembling lips press gently over his own, so softly it was as if a butterfly's wings had lightly grazed them as it flew.

Ron felt as if his heart would burst from his chest, it expanded with joy at the touch of Hermione's lips that it nearly felt like a pain in his chest, the love pouring from it so great. Deepening the kiss, he pulled Hermione to him ever closer and willed his kiss to show her that he loved her, that this was all he'd ever been waiting for.

_I'd do anything to be in your dreams  
And I can't stand standing by  
With this dream that's inside my heart  
Maybe I'm only gonna make a mistake  
And there's a chance maybe my heart will break_

Hermione clung to him and returned his kisses feverishly, revelling at the heat that her blood caused as it coursed through her veins. In the wake of the horror and grief that had struck, she felt as if she were floating, her heart pounding, she hungrily ate at the feeling of being alive. Her hands roamed of their own accord, slipping through Ron's hair, touching his shoulders, his back, caressing his face, it was as if they had minds of their own, frantically making sure that what stood before her holding her so closely was real and not a cruel trick her grief-stricken mind was playing on her.

Ron felt a tear escape through his closed eyes. As he felt Hermione's fingers gently brush against his cheek, he battled with the emotions inside him, wondering how he could feel so happy when darkness and evil had surrounded them mere moments ago. Shaking away those thoughts, he grasped hold of the joy and utter happiness that was being in Hermione's arms and told himself it was because he had seen what terror was like. He had now just experienced loss beyond his beliefs that he needed to appreciate the simple miracle that love wove.

_How will you know what's inside my soul  
Oh it's driving me crazy  
'Cause you can't see  
You're the world to me  
I'm so afraid to say  
The way that I feel for you_

Gently, as if floating, they fell onto Hermione's soft covers, carried on the love that stole around them. Feeling without thinking and loving without words, Ron and Hermione gave in to the emotions that had coiled beneath the depths of their secret hearts. Mouths gently exploring, whispers gently caressing, skin kissing skin, the world melted away.

Time ticked on and slowly the sun began to peek through the open shutters of the bedroom window and landed cheerily across Hermione's sleeping eyes, though she did not wake. Beside her, someone had chosen not to slumber.

Ron stared down at the sleeping face of Hermione. 'His' Hermione, he thought his heart swelling with pride at the beauty that slept on before him. He caressed her cheek with trembling fingers, still not able to fully comprehend how his dreams had finally come true.

Gently, he leaned over and kissed the lobe of her ear. "I love you, Hermione," he whispered, ever so softly. Raising his head, his eyes met Hermione's clear gaze and she smiled at him.

"I love you, Ron," she whispered to him, a smile touching the corners of her lips. Slowly they joined together in a reverent kiss, love consuming them once more, causing their souls to take wings and soar quietly into the air…and somewhere miles away or hidden, halfway around the world, the Dark Lord raised his head and frowned.


	8. My Sacrifice

CHAPTER EIGHT: MY SACRIFICE

Harry skipped across the field towards a bubbling brook past a rolling hill. Harry stopped, suddenly confused, though he still bobbed up and down as the rolling hill continued to roll. He didn't skip. Since when did he skip? Shrugging, he continued to skip on, feeling a light sense of buoyancy. A stopped again. Why was he happy? Everyone was dying, weren't they? Giggling to himself, Harry skipped on, deep within though, he was alarmed at the fact that he had just giggled.

Harry Potter was dreaming. For at times, in your dreams, you have lucid moments where you can tell that the events happening in your dreams aren't exactly the way they should be happening. But at the same time as you are aware that certain things shouldn't be happening, there's a feeling that things are absolutely as they should be as well. Skipping away, Harry understood this and allowed himself to giggle once more.

Around and around the Burrow he skipped, wondering how on earth it had grown back so fast after it was just burnt – or rather exploded – the night before. Harry shrugged again and knew that it just must and breathed a sigh of relief as he finally made his way to the babbling brook. Playfully it splashed against rocks and the side of the bank as it made its way merrily down in a stream of bubbling water.

Harry dropped to his knees and leaned out over the bank, wanting to catch a glimpse of his reflection. Yes, there it was right there, rippling and dancing in the water, his reflection, complete with unruly black hair and zig-zagging scar. He rested his elbows on the soft mossy bank and then rested his chin in his palms. He quite liked the look of his reflection. He decided that he would stay here for hours and hours. Except what was that way down there? Harry leaned further down, straining his eyes so much so that his reflection got curious and turned around to see what all the fuss was about.

There shining and blinking in the murky water was a bright silver compact. Furrowing his brow in confusion, Harry dipped his head straight into the water for a better look. Recognizing the compact that Sirius had given him, he reached out a hand and decided that he needed to look at it more closely.

Harry was sitting cross-legged, with his back resting on the big tree that stood at the edge of the Giant Squid's lake. He glanced around marvelling at how beautiful Hogwart's was and wondering where the rolling hills had gone when he remembered that he was holding the shining compact in his hand. 

Cheerfully he opened the compact and was neither stunned nor surprised when Sirius' face smiled back at him. Dropping the compact as if this was the most natural thing in the world to do, he watched, though not in dismay as the mirror cracked. Light began to spill forth from the shards and in a few moments, Sirius lifted himself up from the broken glass and waved a cheery hello to Harry. Though he was neither stunned nor surprised moments before, Harry now stared in awe and wonderment at his smiling Godfather before him. How was this possible?

_Hello my friend we meet again  
It's been awhile, where should be begin?  
Feels like forever  
Within my heart a memory  
A perfect love that you gave to me  
Oh, I remember…_

As Harry told himself that Sirius was dead, quite suddenly he felt a jolt and looked down to see his Firebolt below him and he glanced sideways to where Sirius flew jauntily beside him on his own Cleansweep. 'Well now, that's odd,' Harry thought to himself. 'Cleansweeps don't really fly that fast.' His Godfather waved and signalled and soon they were landing and Harry looked around instantly recognizing that they were in Hogsmeade.

_When you are with me, I'm free  
I'm careless, I believe  
Above all the others, we'll fly  
This brings tears to my eyes  
My sacrifice_

Harry was drowning. Deeper and deeper he sank into dark oblivion, struggling to breathe but only inhaling water. Light danced before his eyes and his head felt as if it were about to explode. Suddenly, he felt a hand at the neck of his shirt and felt an almighty yank as he erupted at the surface of the sea.

But there he was once again in the babbling brook with rolling hills surrounding him. Once again, he felt himself being tugged and up onto the bank the next instant is where he found himself.

"Harry."

Harry turned now fully aware that things weren't the way they ought to be. He stopped short as he saw Sirius once again walking towards him. 'It's another dream' Harry thought to himself, tears prickling his eyelids. How cruel it was to dream of things so realistically that it truly felt that Sirius had been with him, laughing and flying around. For that could not have possibly been true, now that Harry had his wits about him. Sirius was dead. He had disappeared behind the veil and he would never again come back from it.

"It is me, Harry. I'm here." Sirius placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and though Harry felt it as sure as if someone had pinched him, at the same time it also felt like it wasn't really there at all. 'I'm dreaming,' he told himself firmly.

"You are dreaming, but it's a different kind of dream. I gave it to you." Sirius said staring earnestly into Harry's eyes, willing him to believe. Harry stared and there he saw it, the laughter dancing in his Godfather's eyes as well as the haunted look that had been instilled by his time in Azkaban. It was Sirius.

Reaching out, he threw himself shamelessly into his Godfather's arms and wept. Finally, they pulled apart and sat down, eagerly facing each other.

_We've seen our share of ups and downs  
Oh how quickly life can turn around, in an instant  
It feels so good to realize  
What's in yourself and within your mind  
Let's find peace there_

"Dark times are ahead, Harry," Serious said gravely, looking intently upon Harry. "You know the prophecy, you know what you have to do. I'm only sorry that I can't be there right beside you for when that time comes."

Harry once again felt the undeniable burden as he always did whenever the prophecy was mentioned.

"What do I do, Sirius? How can I possibly stand a chance against Voldemort?" Harry cried desperately.

"You'll find it, Harry. Your Mum and Dad, they told me that you will. They left you with a lot more than you know," Sirius told him knowingly.

Harry started. "Mum and Dad? What, you've seen them?" he cried, leaning forward eagerly. "Why didn't they come here with you?" he demanded suddenly realizing that they had never once entered his dreams.

"Harry, it's different. I died after I disappeared from the veil, I had no choice and could not cross over back into the world again. Lily and James, when they were killed it's a different matter. They had no choice because they by-passed even the veil. They're in a place where I can reach but cannot stay and I am in a place where they cannot reach at all. That's the mystery of the veil. I exist in two planes of the undead where your Mum and Dad can only exist in one. That's why I was able to come here. Because I exist in a plane, let's call it limbo for right now, I was granted this final wish before I crossed over into the place where your Mum and Dad and everyone else who's died exist. I cannot come back into the real world, but in the dream world, I can take shape, if only for a little while. And I chose to come back into your dream, Harry." Sirius said this all quite quickly and Harry took a few moments to go back over his words, processing them, trying to understand.

Before he could open his mouth again, Sirius leaned forward his words urgent. "I don't have much more time, but it's important that you understand what I have to say. Once this is over, I can never come back to you in any kind of dream. This is our last chance together, you and I facing each other. But I've come to help you. You need to go back to Godric's Hollow. Look to where your parents rest. They've left you some things that will help you and then go back to Dumbledore's office for what I have left you. The time has come for you to have it and you'll know how to use it."

Harry nodded frantically, trying to absorb everything that Sirius had been saying. More frantic he grew when Sirius' form began to take a glowing effect and he realized that they're time together was almost up.

"The dream you had before, I wanted you to have that so that we could have one last fun adventure together. We flew together and laughed together, that's all I wanted. But now, because we didn't get a chance to do it before, it really is time to say goodbye. I came back one last time and got what I wanted," Sirius' voice was now sounding distant and tinny, echoing through Harry's ears.

_I just want to say hello again  
I just want to say hello again_

"But Sirius," Harry called out desperately, "What did Dumbledore leave for me? You've seen him, haven't you?"

Sirius paused and turned, confusion marring his glowing form before he vanished completely. "What do you mean? Dumbledore isn't here, Harry."


	9. Breathe

CHAPTER NINE: BREATHE

As Hermione was waking to the feel of Ron's breath, so Ginny opened her tired eyes. Glancing around momentarily incoherent, it finally dawned on her that she had fallen asleep without going upstairs to her room. In Mrs. Black's former formal sitting room, her and Harry were curled up, a large sheet separating them from the musty carpet beneath.

Ginny stilled as warm air fanned over her face, stirring her hair and tickling her nose. Ever so cautiously, she turned her head and found herself face to face with a sleeping Harry Potter. And though her eyes had shed tear after tear last night, she felt them once again welling into pools before her eyes, though from overwhelming happiness instead of the despair she had felt the night before. 

Harry was here with her. Despite the danger that had ensued, he had allowed her to stand on her own. He had looked at her for a fraction of a second and she finally saw in his eyes understanding that she needed to face the battle. He would trust that their love was strong enough for him to allow her to defend herself and her family in any way that she could. He would not hold her back or stand in her way. They were finally in this together.

Ginny shivered though she was not cold. As sunlight danced on the dusty surfaces of the sitting room, she basked in the warmth of its rays and her skin tingled, teased by an unseen sensation that floated lazily about the room.

_I can feel the magic floating in the air  
Being with you gets me that way  
I watch the sunlight dance across your face  
And I've never been this swept away_

Ginny snuggled ever closer to Harry, careful not to disturb the arm flung haphazardly low on her hip. Carefully, she reached up and removed his glasses that had fallen askew on his face, and set them gently on the carpet beside her. Fighting the urge to touch, she sweetly tucked her fingers beneath her cheek and hungrily ate up the sight of him. As she had felt Harry's eyes travel over her as they had danced at the wedding, so her eyes began their journey, learning the planes of his face through mere site. She exhaled the breath she had unconsciously been holding and his hair fluttered over his forehead, exposing the famous lightning-shaped scar. Giving in to her urge, she slowly extended one delicate finger and traced the sad scar that had brought so much pain and trouble to her Harry. Pulling her hand away slowly, she let it come to rest on his chest, watching it rise and fall in tune with his slow, even breathing.

_All my thoughts just seem to settle on the breeze  
When I'm lying wrapped up in your arms  
The whole world just fades away  
The only thing I hear is the beating of your heart_

Gently she pressed her palm flat and gradually became aware of the subtle thump-thump of his heartbeat. Over and over again, she felt for it, drawing relief from the proof of life that thudded away. Harry alive was all she could ever hope for. They had come so far in these battles, but she sighed as she resigned herself to the fact that there was still far to go. Focusing all her thoughts and energy, she gazed once again at Harry, feeling once more his breath float over her skin.

'_Cause I can feel you breathe  
Just washing over me  
And suddenly I'm melting into you  
There's nothing left to prove  
Baby all we need is just to be  
Caught up in the touch  
Slow and steady rush  
Baby isn't that the way that love's supposed to be  
I can feel you breathe  
Just breathe_

Sighing softly, Ginny felt content wrapped in Harry's arms. Taking one final glance over his features, she turned over cautiously, trying her best not to wake him. Ginny gasped slightly as she felt his hand open over her waist and looked over her shoulder, exhaling as she saw that he had merely turned in his sleep with her. Gently she felt pressure from his palm and felt herself being drawn closer to him as he murmured incoherently in his sleep before he buried his face in her cascading hair. She smiled and decided to stay where she was, once again beginning to feel drowsy as Harry's warmth seeped through her clothing, comforting her and his strong arms wrapped gently over her shoulders, keeping her safe.

Half-asleep, Ginny wandered languidly from thought to thought. She had never felt this comfortable with anyone else she'd ever been with. Michael corner was really someone she thought would help keep her mind off of Harry and Dean, though they did become close over the time they had spent together, she had never had such a hard time breathing whenever she was anywhere near him. Moments alone in Harry's presence would cause Ginny's heart to skip beats and trip along, her breaths coming in short, shallow hiccups. Though her body reacted in many different ways, at the same time, Ginny had never felt more comfortable around anybody but Harry.

Wasn't it Harry who had seen her at her worst? Knocking over goblets, dipping her elbow in butter dishes, prancing around in sleep jumpers when she wasn't aware that he was there. He had been there, being her friend as she had grown up over the years. Now she was in awe at the chance to finally be able to grow together. She and Michael may have shared her first kiss, and Dean may have taken a fond place in Ginny's heart, but it was with Harry that she had learned to love.

_In a way I know my heart is waking up  
As all the walls come tumbling down  
Closer than I've ever felt before  
And I know you know  
There's no need for words right now_

Ginny smiled as she closed her eyes, the steady rhythm of Harry's heart beating with her own gently lulling her into a pleasant sleep.


	10. Bring Me to Life

CHAPTER TEN: BRING ME TO LIFE

Harry awoke, his eyes flying wide open, his mouth forming a silent 'O' as he gasped for breath. He was dying, the pain burning through his scar made him certain that he would not live a moment longer. Deeper still the pain reached into the depths of his mind, clawing at him, until he finally released a strangled, agony-filled cry.

Just as the world around him blurred, he fell to his knees, straining to release his soul into senseless, pain-free oblivion – until suddenly, the pain was gone.

Slowly lifting his head, his eyes blinking to grasp his surroundings, he felt his mouth stretch into a smile that was not his own. He was certain that his features had never contorted into the sadistic smile it currently enjoyed, yet at the same time it felt like the most natural reaction in the world. He watched as a man shrieked and writhed in pain before him, feeling both elated and deeper within like he were going to be sick.

Harry had never felt such emptiness within him, as he did at this moment. He stared again at the man, now twitching on the ground and found that he felt neither pity nor remorse.

_How can you see into my eyes like open doors  
Leading you down into my core where I've become so numb  
Without a soul, my spirit's sleeping somewhere cold  
Until you find it there and lead it back home_

"I'm dreaming. I must be dreaming this," he thought frantically to himself at the same time he felt his hand lift. Glancing down, he watched detachedly as his fingers though palely wrinkled and cold, he understood them to be his. Staring he felt his mouth move, forming words he could not understand and startled, he gasped as jets of light flew from the wand his fingers grasped. He yelled for the man before him to watch out, but his words were drowned out by the sound of maniacal laughter ringing through his ears. He stared transfixed until he realized that his mouth was thrown open wide and it was from him that the laughter was originating. "Where am I?" He thought desperately and he battled to push aside the feeling of complete satisfaction at the man dying before him.

_(Wake me up) Wake me up inside  
(I can't wake up) Wake me up inside  
(Save me) Call my name and save me from the dark  
(Wake me up) Bid my blood to run  
(I can't wake up) Before I come undone  
(Save me) Save me from the nothing I've become_

He was inside Voldemort's body. Or was it his mind? Trapped with nowhere to turn or run, Harry focused on a hissing, raspy breath echoing ever so softly in the depths of his mind.

_Now that I know what I'm without  
You can't just leave me  
Breathe into me and make me real  
Bring me to life_

No sooner had he realized where he was, he felt a slash at his arm and dazedly, he glanced down and saw blood pouring from his arm that was now all of a sudden his own, and no longer belonging to Voldemort. Looking up he fought to hide the shout of fright that was lodged in his throat at the sight of Voldemort, standing before him, smiling wickedly. Automatically, he delved his hand inside his robes, searching in vain for his wand and realized that it was not there.

Taking a phial from within his robes, he watched Voldemort glide forward to collect his blood still trickling, ever so steadily from his wound.

_All of this time, I can't believe I couldn't see  
Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me  
I've been sleeping a thousand years it seems  
Got to open my eyes to everything_

Harry watched transfixed, as his life poured forth, willingly gathering in Voldemort's possession. Unbidden, flashes of red hair danced before his blurry eyes and he smiled as he recognized the blazing eyes dancing before him. Ginny tip-toed and danced before him, smiling and giggling, carelessly humming songs in a voice that tinkled like wind chimes in Harry's sluggish mind. Watching weakly, he reached out to touch her with his fingertips, but smiling playfully she bounded out of his reach. Closer to an abyssmal light she danced, holding her arms out to him and beckoning him to her. Summoning all his strength, Harry started forward, keeping his eyes locked on Ginny's smile. Her eyes widened and she put a finger to her lips, motioning him to silence. Then, blowing kisses, she laughed and still farther into the depths of light that must lead somewhere she skipped.

Harry began to run. She was leaving him behind. Following the wafting trail of her sweet, flowery scent, he began to laugh as he thought of catching up to her. How happy he would be and they would laugh and laugh.

He stopped short as Ginny suddenly whirled to face him, her hair fanning around her face. Her eyes were no longer joyful and laughing, but were now wide and filled with fear. Her mouth was moving, calling out to him. Without hearing her words he knew she was telling him to hurry. He must reach her now.

As if treading in thick mud, Harry tried to move his legs. Struggling he placed one foot in front of the other, propelling his body forward. But he was so tired and his arm was beginning to hurt again. Glancing down he saw his blood leaving a trail-like path behind him, clearly it would lead Voldemort to him again. Light-headed and dizzy, Harry began to lie back in invisible arms that held him. He didn't need to follow the light, he was just fine where he was, he thought.

Glancing up once more, his eyes sought out Ginny and she saw her face looming before him. Harry stared confused as tears ran down her cheeks. With all the strength he felt he had left in him, he extended a fingertip and smiling ghostlike before his eyes, Ginny reached out to touch him.

_Without your thought, without your voice, without a soul  
Don't let me die here, there must be something more  
Bring me to life_

Harry awoke, his eyes flying wide open, his mouth forming a silent 'O' …as he felt the gentle pressure of soft lips against his own. He breathed deeply as warm air filled his lungs silently ordering him to live. Slowly, blazing eyes came into focus and he became aware of silky strands tickling his cheek.

Ginny pulled away from him, her face stricken with alarm that was slowly turning to relief. Gently, she pressed her warm palm against his cheek. Her other hand, resting on his chest, pressed flat feeling the steady heartbeat coming from within.

"One moment I was watching you sleep and then the next…I thought I'd lost you," Ginny whispered, her hands now trembling as the extent of the events slowly began to dawn on her. "What happened?"

Slowly raising himself up on his elbows, Harry tenderly wiped a tear escaping from Ginny's lashes.

"You brought me back to life…"


	11. I'll Be

CHAPTER ELEVEN: I'LL BE

It could have been only a moment or an eternity as Harry and Ginny sat facing each other, each probing deeply into the other's eyes, searching for promises of the future.

_The strands in your eyes_

_That colour them wonderful_

_Stop me and steal my breath_

Slowly, Harry raised himself from the floor and carefully took Ginny in his arms, as he had finally noticed that she still trembled with fear, though her eyes never wavered from his own gaze. After a tense moment, he felt her relax and sink into his embrace, her body becoming warm and pliant against his own until the trembling finally ceased.

Pulling back slightly, Harry studied Ginny's face carefully, gently brushing stray strands of hair away from her face. It was still more moments before he realized that he'd once again lost himself in the depths of her eyes and he reminded himself to breath as his heart beat tripped on in an excited staccato.

Resting his chin lightly atop her head, he breathed in her warm flowery scent, exactly as he had smelled it in his dream, Harry thought. Frowning slightly, he realized that something was different and it took him a moment to realize why the smell of smoke overpowered the sweet scent he had come to associate with Ginny.

Closing his eyes, he allowed scenes from the night before to flash before him. Sparks of fire, bright light that could have been day only to be swallowed up by flames, smoke, glass shattering, Voldemort smiling, laughing, draining him of his life – Harry opened his eyes abruptly, unwilling to let the memories send him into another tailspin of terror. It was all over. As a shudder escaped him, Ginny shifted in his arms and he allowed her to comfort him with her soft caresses and accepted the strength she offered.

_And emeralds from mountains_

_Thrust 'cross the skies_

_Never revealing their depth_

"Will it never end, Harry?" she whispered quietly, her voice though quiet, shook with emotion yet her eyes no longer gave the haunted look of defeat and resignation. Though her question seemed dismal, Harry could see dignified acceptance of what was to come and he only hoped that he would be able to match the strength she possessed.

"It will be, one way or another, won't it?" Harry said aloud, though more to himself then in response to Ginny's question. Focusing his gaze on hers, he adopted her look of resolution and knew what needed to come.

"Voldemort isn't going to stop. We just saw it again when he broke into my dreams, or allowed me into his, I still can't even tell. All I know is that he will not stop until he's finished me. He'll chase after me until he's done what he had meant to do sixteen years back and frankly, I don't think I'd like to spend the rest of my life running away from it all," Harry spoke fiercely, unaware that as he did so, his hold around Ginny tightened as well.

Turning in his arms to face him, Ginny broke from his embrace her eyes shining with understanding, though Harry saw flits of apprehension tip-toe beneath it.

"So are you telling me how we're going to be again? You want me to stand by and wave goodbye to you happily while you go and knock on Voldemort's front door?" she asked, valiantly struggling to keep her voice calm and level though hysteria seemed to be threatening to take over her once more.

Harry knew that it was beyond him to argue with her. Though instinctively, he felt that he must protect her, he knew that it would be of no use to her. She was a Weasley. She was Ginny, after all. When had she ever backed away from anything? He knew that this was what he loved about her and also, what he feared most about her. Silently, he searched her gaze and though he saw trepidation, he also recognized the fierce determination. He knew that wherever his tasks and journeys would lead him, Ginny would be by his side whether he accepted it or not.

"My brave Ginny. I should have known you'd be too much for me to handle," Harry grinned weakly, tweaking her nose teasingly.

_And tell me that we belong together_

_Dress it up with the trappings of love_

_I'll be captivated_

_I'll hang from your lips_

_Instead of the gallows_

_Of heartache that hang from above_

With a ghost of a smile, Ginny pulled away slightly and poked him square in the chest with the tip of one delicate finger.

"Don't you forget it, Potter," she growled jokingly. Resting her head on his shoulder, they fell into a comfortable silence, each trying to ignore the battles they would soon be facing, though images and inklings were tugging on their consciences.

"When this is all over, you know you and I will be together," Harry offered to her quietly.

"There's so many things that can go wrong with that plan," Ginny said weakly, her mind already whirling with ideas and situations that had not yet arisen.

With an unfamiliar sense of urgency, Harry turned Ginny towards him so that their gazes collided with each other. After what had just happened, it was more clear to Harry than anything he had ever understood. He needed her to understand as well.

"I promise Ginny, if anything happens to us and we're separated, I'll come back to you. Haven't you felt it yet? When Voldemort had me practically at his mercy in my dream – or in his, it could have been all over for me already." Ginny let out a small gasp, but Harry ploughed on. "I didn't have my wand, I didn't have Dumbledore to help me, but I still managed to escape him."

_And rain falls angry on the tin roof_

_As we lie awake in my bed_

_You're my survival_

_You're my living proof_

_My love is alive_

_Not dead_

Ginny shuddered at the mere memory of that moment.

After she had fallen asleep once again, she'd once more woken up and one moment she had turned in his arms to smile fondly at a sleeping Harry only to find him thrashing wildly and wailing in his sleep – though it did not seem so much like sleep. He had grown paler and paler as his body grew colder and colder in her arms. His wild thrashing had become weaker and it didn't seem like he was putting up much of a fight. She had cried and pleaded to him, calling his name over and over, kissing his cold lips until tears had fallen unchecked onto his pallid cheeks. Almost instantly, Harry had opened his eyes.

"It was you Ginny. You were there in my dreams when I had nothing left. It was only by seeing you there that I could have pulled myself out of weakness Voldemort was weaving into me

_And I've dropped out_

_I've burned up_

_I've fought my way back from the dead_

_Tuned in, turned on_

_Remembered the things that you said_

"I was about to give up you know," Harry admitted quietly. "Sirius had come to me in a dream before Voldemort and he was telling me that it would all work out and that maybe Dumbledore had found a way to live, but in that moment, everything he had said didn't mean anything to me. I was ready to go and didn't care what was going to happen until your face came floating above me and you were crying. More than not wanting to die, I didn't want you to cry because I couldn't stand knowing that you wouldn't have me to lean on or take away some of your pain."

_I'll be your crying shoulder_

_I'll be love's suicide_

_I'll be better when I'm older…_

Feeling his cheeks flush and warm with the passion surging through him, he ducked his head and swiftly captured Ginny's lips with his own. Bypassing the shy, tender kissing, he wrapped her in his arms tightly, willing her to feel everything that he couldn't find words to express. Harry tightened his hold around Ginny, pressing his cheek against her own. Her lips trembled as she felt the warm wetness of the tears on his cheek, and her own rushed to mingle with his.

"People call me the chosen one. They keep holding on to the hope that I'll be the one to save everyone from what's to come. They say I'm the Boy Who Lived, the Chosen One and who knows what other things they'll come up with. But with you, I know who I am and what I'm fighting for."

_I'll be the greatest fan of your life…_

It could have been only a moment or an eternity as Harry and Ginny sat facing each other, each probing, seeing the promises of the future reflected in each other's eyes. Seemingly far away, the dull thumps of footsteps echoed and breaking from the spell their gazes had captured them in, Harry and Ginny turned their heads, seeing Ron and Hermione standing together midway down the stairs.

Silence floated ever so serenely, coiling around the group of friends as they regarded each other, understanding perfectly well what the each were thinking though no words shattered the stillness that held them captive.

All at once Hermione straightened and stood tall while Ron nodded his head resolutely.

Voldemort and his Death Eaters had played their hand, it was now their move. They knew what they had to do.


	12. Wherever You Will Go

CHAPTER TWELVE: WHEREVER YOU WILL GO

Seemingly in a daze, a tired-looking witch stood at the unfamiliar kitchen window, the tap running, though she paid it no notice. A light glow began to emanate beyond the horizon and Molly Weasley noted that the stars weren't as clearly visible as they had been a half hour's time before. Tearing her gaze away from what was beyond the open window, Molly sighed and stared at the water running over her hands, momentarily confused, wondering what she was supposed to have been doing at the moment.

She jumped as an arm reach past her and gently shut off the tap, efficiently cutting the flow of warm water over her hands. Turning, she laid pleading eyes on her youngest son, who stood resolutely before her.

_So lately, been wondering  
Who will be there to take my place  
When I'm gone, you'll need love  
To light the shadows on your face_

Smiling sadly, she searched his face and felt a familiar tug at her heart whenever she was surveying any of her children. There was the same fiery red hair, though longer than she would have liked and allowed had he been younger. There was the same brown eyes, though when she looked deeper into them, she found that they were no longer the playful eyes of a happy, go-lucky boy, but the serious, sombre eyes of a man. She remembered a time not too long ago when his face had been full of sheepishness and mischief, and though he did not look upon her insolently, she saw that his mouth was set and his jaw locked. His head tilted slightly, he stared down at her now with the face of respectful determination. Her eyes watering, though no tears spilled over, she wished she could once again look upon the little boy who had stared up at her with a mixture of guilt and impishness when he had done something wrong.

"You know I wish you wouldn't leave," she whispered hoarsely, her voice thick with tears.

Ron looked down at his mum, wishing she wouldn't make things harder than it already was.

"But you know that there'd be no chance I'd ever let Harry go alone," he said quietly.

Molly marvelled at the change in her son. Only days before, wasn't he still her awkward and gangly Ron? Yet here he was so solemn and brave, willing to follow his best friend to the ends of the earth. Molly shuddered.

"I know Ron. And as a member of the Order, I understand why it is you have to leave. I would have gone myself if I had been in your shoes. But as a mother – your mother - " Molly angrily wiped a tear snaking its way down her cheek, "this is the hardest thing I've ever had to do,"

At a slight movement of shadow to Ron's right, her eyes shifted, her gaze colliding with her daughter's. Though more tears spilled over, she could not help but give a watery smile as only she understood the depths of stubbornness her head-strong Ginny possessed. Ginny looked on, her own eyes shining with unshed tears and she came forward to clasp her mother's hand.

_If a great wave shall fall  
And fall upon us all  
Then between the stand and stone  
Could you make it on your own_

"We'll be okay, Mum," Ginny's voice cracked though she showed no sign of acknowledging it.

Pursing her lips tightly, Molly nodded quickly, pulling her children into her trembling arms. A moment later, a weary-looking Arthur Weasley stepped into the kitchen.

Harry and Hermione packed in silence, each filled with their own thoughts and worries of the plans ahead. Before them lay many items that had been purchased days before in secret from shops in Diagon Alley. Sneakoscopes and Dark Detectors lay silently, waiting to be packed away into their travel gear, wands snugly enclosed in new sheaths that attached to their bodies so that they would no longer have to carry it in their pockets, exposed to wandering hands. Assortments of small crystal bottles clinked quietly as Hermione gathered a few and placed them in her pack. Lastly, she carefully tucked in her new invisibility cloak before sealing her pack shut. Glancing up, she watched as Harry clipped his compass to the handle of his Firebolt before he stonily surveyed the rest of the supplies they needed to bring with them.

He started as he heard footsteps and glanced up to see Ron and Ginny enter to the room, their parents looking on from the kitchen doorway. Gathering the rest of their things, the four silently walked to the front door, Harry barely daring to cast his eyes around the familiar furniture all branded with the Black family crest.

Alastor Moody joined the solemn group beneath the towering portrait of Mrs. Black, though fortunately her drapes were shut so that her roving eyes would not encounter those who convened around her.

He surveyed the young wizards and witches, while his magical eye glowed white to their gaze. It seemed that the magical eye was seeing through the heavy wooden door to the streets outside number 12 Grimmauld Place. He seemed to be struggling to say something – or rather to withhold from saying something – but appeared to have decided against it and clamped his mouth shut.

There was nothing else that the Order could argue. Though they had all fought and debated about Harry and his friends going off to fulfill Dumbledore's mission of the destruction of the Horcruxes, Harry's extreme resolve would not waver, nor would those of his friends. They had decided that they would go, leaving the Order no choice but to make sure that they were thoroughly equipped to complete or - at least in their thoughts – to survive their mission.

Harry, with his head held high was regarding him respectfully.

_And maybe, I'll find out  
A way to make it back someday  
To watch you, to guide you  
Through the darkest of your days_

"Constant vigilance, Potter," Moody growled through gritted teeth.

Hoisting his back-pack higher on his shoulders, making sure that his wand was safely tucked into its holster, Harry gripped his Firebolt tighter in his fist and looked around at the apprehensive crowd around him. In turn, he met the eyes of his friends; Ron met his gaze head-on, never wavering but silently sending him his unwavering loyalty. Harry knew Ron would stop at nothing to be by his side. He felt his chest swell proudly, he couldn't have asked for a better person to journey on this quest with. His eyes roamed slightly to Ron's left and below and there stood Hermione. Her intelligent eyes were full of fearful determination, but she lifted her arm and steadily held up the Firebolt the Order had provided her with. Bravely, she shot him a conspiratorial smile and he knew she was behind him, whatever his decision. She knew the stakes and she was going to trust Harry. Swallowing hard over the lump in his throat, he glanced down and looked upon Ginny. If it didn't already belong to his broomstick, Harry would have nicknamed her his Firebolt. There was nothing frail or delicate about Ginny, though she may have looked it, her eyes belied the fire and spirit that raged within her. She tilted her head and collided her gaze with his, her gaze telling him that this was the way it had to be. For a split second, Harry felt doubt and wondered what he was leading his friends into, but he pushed those thoughts away. This wasn't about him anymore. This was their battle as well as his and he was honoured to be at their side, just as they were at his.

Slowly, he turned to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. As he looked upon their tired and worried faces, he wondered if they ever regretted the day their son asked to share a compartment with the famous Harry Potter on the Hogwart's Express.

"We are so proud of you, Harry," Mrs. Weasley whispered, as if reading his thoughts. She placed a warm palm on his cheek and cradled his face close to her own. For today, it felt as if she were bidding farewell to not one son, but two, for Harry had come to mean just as much as her own. Mr. Weasley stepped forward and placed a strong hand on Harry's shoulder, squeezing it meaningfully as words had seemed to fail him. Harry nodded, to show he understood what words could not really express and he knew that the moment Ron had stepped into his compartment, it was he, Harry who had truly been blessed, for not only had he received a best friend in Ron, but an entire family in the Weasley's. He would not lose another family to Voldemort, he silently vowed to himself as he was gathered in a hug.

_If a great wave shall fall  
And fall upon us all  
Then I hope there's someone out there  
Who can bring me back to you_

A tangible shift in the atmosphere billowed around the room and Harry at once sensed that the time for goodbyes had come and gone. He turned to Mr. Weasley who was holding out enchanted maps with moving arrows in a multitude of colours zigzagging across the surface. 

"Okay Harry, the black arrows are neutral ground. For the most part, the map doesn't detect any dark magic there at the moment, however they will change as danger gets closer. Your first step is to head straight for Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall is already waiting and she'll allow you time in Dumbledore's office. I imagine you'll figure out what you need to do next from there." Mr. Weasley spoke low and urgently, his eyes darting side to side as though warily searching for spies, though they were still safely encompassed in the Black residence.

Mad-Eye Moody limped closer into the circle, regarding each of the travellers.

"Don't forget your spells, send a Patronus once a week for reports so we know what's happening, but don't send it any more times than that for you may need them as well. We will never send you owls, so don't be fooled if one happens to have a message for you. You know how we communicate. Constant vigilance, constant vigilance!" he hissed desperately, as if trying to etch into their minds with his own voice.

Nodding, Harry swiftly opened the door and stepped out, blinking as the sun was now fully into the sky, it's rays searing bright red and orange streaks into the sky.

_Run away with my heart  
Run away with my hope  
Run away with my love_

With one last look behind them, they veered left into an alleyway so to stay out of sight for earlier risers. Lightly their steps echoed in the dark lane, the ground littered with muggle and newspaper clippings alike, both screaming headlines of murder and disappearances. Though the muggle world clearly did not comprehend the meaning of the dark times they were now experiencing, it was obvious that they were not oblivious to it anymore.

Stopping beneath the shadows of an overhanging balcony, Harry turned towards the others.

"You know there's always a choice for you. I won't hold you back if you change your mind," he whispered urgently, giving their final chance to get away from him and his distant fate.

"It never even crossed my mind, mate," Ron looked upon Harry solemnly, his determined gaze telling Harry all that he needed to know. Hermione drew herself up to her full height, tilting her chin stubbornly, her keen eyes sparking with conviction. 

"We'll be right beside you Harry, as far as we can all go," she said clearly, not a waver in her voice. At this, Ginny grabbed on to his arm tightly, her fingers squeezing him in reassurance, urging him on. Ron and Hermione, though unneeded, clasped their hands together, looks of utter concentration on their faces.

_If I could, then I would  
I'd go wherever you will go  
Way up high, or down low  
I'll go wherever you will go_

Nearby, a black alley cat slinked from his nesting place in the rubble of an old abandoned car in search of food. Sensing something around him, his fur immediately stood on end and his back arched, claws emerging, he gave a loud howling hiss and sent a box of scrap metal tumbling to the ground. As the sound of clanging and banging echoed around the alley, a disgruntled truck driver was awakened from his sleep. Irritated, he leaned out his window, his mouth open, ready to snap at what was making all the noise. But as he looked around below and peered into the shadows of an overhanging balcony, his eyes only found a startled cat and a pile of scrap metal on the ground.

_I know now, not quite how  
My life and love might still go on  
In your heart, in your mind  
I'll stay with you for all of time_

**A/N: And that's that! I'd previously posted this story at a different site, but as I began transferring the story here, I can tell you that it went through a little make-over and I am not shy to say that I'm definitely proud of how it turned out. Hopefully you agree as well. So this is Part One of the summer section that I'm going to write. Part Two of what happens during the Summer before Seventh Year is proving to be a little bit more difficult to write – I'm still only in the middle of the first chapter, but I can tell you it's a long one. It's scarier to write because it will be more plot-based and less song-based, though there still will be the occasional song. Thanks for the reviews and for those of you who took the time to read it!**


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